Virginia House passes bill banning schools from hiding gender-transition from parents
The Virginia House approved Tuesday legislation that would prohibit schools from keeping parents informed about their child’s gender change. This bill was inspired partly by the horrifying story of a girl who had been identified as male and was repeatedly sexually assaulted.
The bill, known as Sage’s Law was passed by the Republican-led state House 50 to 48. Democrats objected that it was intended to “force out transgender students”.
House Bill 2432 requires school staff to inform parents if a student self-identifies as “a gender other than the student’s biological sexual sex.” It clarifies that children are not subject to abuse or neglect if they are treated based on their birth sex.
Now, the bill goes to the state Senate where Democrats have a 22-18 majority. The legislation was approved by the House without any Democratic votes.
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Del. Dave LaRock, sponsor of the bill, stated when he introduced it that “Virginia law must be absolutely clear that affirming the biological sex of a child does not justify taking them away from their families.”
Mr. LaRock stated that teachers, school counselors and social workers, as well as courts, must respect parents’ fundamental rights in the parent/child relationship. He suggested that parents should be involved immediately if a child is facing serious challenges. “The horrible treatment of Sage has demonstrated the importance of protecting parents and children in Virginia.”
It is disappointing that all Democrats voted against the common-sense bill. All Virginians should contact their senator to urge broad bipartisan support of this important legislation. Watch yesterday’s debate here: https://t.co/FQDLA4Vnej 2/2
— Dave LaRock (@DaveLaRockForVA), February 7, 2023
Michele, Sage’s mother, told the story at a House committee hearing last week. The girl was not allowed to use her last name for privacy reasons.
Sage, 14, started high school. She decided to become a male after discovering that all the girls were transgender, lesbian, and emo. Her mother claimed that teachers kept her name and pronouns secret from her. Sage was bullied and attacked in a boys bathroom. She fled.
She was sex-trafficked in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Maryland placed her in a boys’ juvenile home for two months. She was repeatedly assaulted by other children and given drugs.
Her parents were also accused of misgendering her while she was still young.
Sage fled her Maryland home and went to Texas where she was “drugged raped, beat, and exploited.” She was eventually returned to the custody of her parents.
Sage says she doesn’t remember who she was back then. She wasn’t a girl. Michele stated that she just wanted friends. But her school, her judge, the lawyer, and the doctor were blinded to their ideology. Sage suffered terrible consequences. Please do not let ideology harm another child. Let parents do our jobs. We are the best parents for our children and love them more than anything.
The bill was called “just the latest example” by House Democrats as a coordinated attack on transgender children across the country.
Del stated that the legislation would make Virginia less welcoming for trans youth. It would also put caring and skilled school counselors and teachers in a difficult situation. They would have to choose between their job and the well-being of a child. Danica Roem is a Democrat, and the first transgender legislator in Virginia.
The Virginia Department of Education instructed its 133 school districts in September to adopt policies that require students to use facilities, toilets, and participate in sports according to their biological gender.
